Various networks and communication systems exist having different format and protocol standards. Each manufacturer would wish to maintain the distinction and uniqueness of its own standards, to encourage the user to remain within that structure. However, the user of a system which may have multiple standards, or which communicate with systems having different communication standards or protocols, would ideally wish to eliminate the differences between the standards and protocols, to freely transfer data within and among all systems and elements. Moreover, as each technical advance spurs additional changes in communication standards, it appears to be unlikely that a standard protocol and format of data transfer can or will be adopted. It is therefore important to the user of any one data system, or the would-be purchaser of such a system, to maintain as much flexibility in data transfer as possible, and not become constrained into any particular format. Therefore, it would be most advantageous to the user to be provided a system having a flexible interconnect system to provide protocol and format adaptation for data transfer over a variety of media and between a variety of data equipment. Moreover, the connection and disconnection of such data transfer between elements and systems should be made with a minimum of operator intervention and skill, and without interrupting data transfer then in progress.